Expressing Himself
Kinnell is really starting to understand the concept of language, and has been adding new words lately. Noone except us would know what he’s saying most of the time, but sometimes it’s totally clear. He likes to point at things and sort of ask what they are, and listens to the answer and sometimes repeats the sounds. He gets really excited to say certain words — like he thinks it’s so exciting to say “duck.” And it is totally hilarious to say “shoes,” let me tell you.
He’s especially good at animal sound words — it’s indescribably cute the way he says “meow” — his voice going very high at the end instead of the beginning, like it’s a question, “meow?” He also says woof-woof, neigh, baa, and moo. We have this book that goes, “A cow says moo, a sheep says baa, three singing pigs go La La La.” Kinnell loves to say La La La very clearly with perfect “L’s.” I think he may think that’s actually what pigs say because tonight I was reading a different book with lots and lots of pigs, and he was practically frantic as he sang, “La La La, La La La” over and over. Freaking CUTIE.
Other words he says, besides da da and ma ma and “buh-boo” (peekaboo), his first official word:
- Wa-wah for water or cup of milk
- Ba-ba or actually ma-ma for Raimi
- Dat for Cat
- An-nah for Annie (Pixis’s dog) or Anika (friend from preschool)
- My-my-my for mine
- Tha? For “what’s that?”
The only downside of his developing verbal ability is that he’s started biting when he’s frustrated or wants you to do something. It’s a developmental thing some kids just do at this age, and I think his babysitters and we are handling it well — intercepting biting attempts and reminding him no biting, be gentle. This weekend we discovered that if we say “no biting, just kisses,” he sometimes will give a real kiss to you instead. Kinnell kisses are so lovely — a slow snuggle in followed by a distinct “Muh.”
Kinnell hugs… well, they’re pretty wonderful too.